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Internet safety for kids is a
fast-growing problem, as sexual predators are finding increasingly savvy
ways to lure our kids. Learn their top tactics to lure kids, and the seven
signs your child may already be at risk. (PRWEB) -- While the Internet
instantly provides kids a world of information, experiences, friends, and
enjoyment, it can also expose them to immediate and very serious dangers
from online predators.
To ensure your child stays safe on the Internet, read the following
crucial Internet safety points and, appropriate to your child’s age, be
sure to share the insights and cautions with them. |
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The Risk of Online Sex
Offenders:
The Federal Bureau of
Investigation’s "A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety" notes that
individuals who use the Internet to sexually exploit children:
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Seduce kids with kindness,
trust and even gifts
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Empathize with kids’
problems
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Relate to children’s
hobbies, music and interests
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Lure children into sexual
conversations by sharing pornographic photos or comments
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Can be any age or sex
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Use chat rooms or instant
messengers to contact kids, and may ultimately try to contact them via
phone or meet in person
Why are Children at
Risk?
Children, and
particularly teens, may be curious about sex and interested in rebelling
against their parents’ control. They may also like the attention or feel
that the person is validating their opinions, a tactic used intentionally
by such offenders.
Seven Sign Your Child May
be at Risk:
Being an informed parent is
the best way to protect your kids online. If you notice any of these
behavior or signs in your child, don’t look the other way -- talk with
your child about their Internet usage immediately:
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Your child spends large
amounts of time online, particularly at night. Most children who are
victimized spend a lot of time on the Internet, in chat rooms. They are
most vulnerable at night when sex offenders are most likely to seek out
victims (although it can occur at anytime of day).
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You find pornography on the
computer. Sex offenders often send pornographic material to children as
a way of opening conversations about the topic.
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Your child receives
phone calls from strangers, or makes unusual long-distance phone calls.
Most offenders will attempt to contact the child by phone sooner or
later.
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Your child receives
packages or letters from strangers. Sex offenders will often attempt to
send your child gifts and personal letters. Some have even sent plane
tickets asking the child to visit.
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Your child turns the
computer monitor off when you come in the room. A child talking with a
sex offender will most likely try to keep it secret from you.
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Your child becomes
withdrawn. Sex offenders prey on children by severing them from their
families emotionally. They often over-emphasize minor problems children
have with their families as a way of doing so.
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Your child uses an
Internet account belonging to someone else. If you don’t subscribe to
the Internet, you child may have been given an account name by an
offender while using a friend’s computer.
What to do if you Suspect Your Child is
Being Victimized Online:
The FBI offers several important tips to
protect your child from this dangerous situation:
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Talk with your child openly about the
dangers of Internet use and your expectations for them while online.
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Review your child’s computer periodically
for visited Web site and/or pornographic material. Even if you are a
computer neophyte, it is worth learning how to review the sites they’ve
visited and the images they have downloaded. You are not "prying" – you
are being a responsible parent.
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Monitor your child’s use of online chat
rooms and other electronic forms of communication like pagers and cell
phones.
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Invest in the Caller ID feature on your
home telephone, and request detailed billing from cell phone carriers if
your child has a cell phone, to track who is calling your child
Minimize Your Child's Risk:
Finally, there are ways to protect your
child and minimize their chances of being victimized. After all, the
Internet is an excellent tool that can broaden your child’s horizons in a
positive way, provided it’s used in a safe manner.
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Discuss potential Internet dangers with
your child
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Spend time with your child online
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Keep the computer in a common room (not
the child’s room)
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Use parental controls provided by service
providers to block questionable material and Web sites (internet service
providers like AOL and NetZero, as well as major search engines like
Yahoo, have a variety of parental controls available at no cost)
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Instruct your child never to give out
their name, phone number, address or photo to someone they meet online
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Maintain access to your child’s Internet
account and check his/her e-mail occasionally
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Teach your child that there’s more to the
Internet than chat rooms, and spend time exploring educational Web sites
together
Important: If you are a parent, read
“The Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety” — compiled by the FBI and
prepared from actual investigations with child victims — that will help
you keep your kids safe on the
Internet. Access the
full report. |
